“The NHS treats over 1.4 million people every 24 hours”
“News” July 2018 NHS England website. Retrieved 14 February 2023.

To understand how we are all doing we need feedback.

Understanding experience of care not just the numbers

As the NHS suggests
“The NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT) was created to help service providers and commissioners understand whether patients are happy with the service provided, or where improvements are needed.”

The NHS wants to support and encourage people to speak up about their experiences of care, including good experiences and where improvements can be made. The friends and family test (FFT) is a quick and simple feedback tool which enables patients to indicate how their experience of a services was. Patients can also provide a free text comment to explain why they have scored as they have.

Audio

NHS England provide a simple audio description of the friends and family test:

Video

NHS England provide a simple and helpful video:
Put us to the test… the NHS Friends and Family Test – 2020 standard version – YouTube

Further information

The NHS provide a simple article which gives a good explanation of the FTT
Friends and Family Test (FFT) – NHS

NHS England provided detailed recommendations intended for organisations but may be of interest
Using-the-fft-to-improve-patient-experience-guidance-v2.pdf

Understanding overall practice friends and family test results – from NHS England
NHS England provide the monthly data for all services including GP practices NHS England » Friends and Family Test data

At present this data is not easy to search but that may change in the future. If you are interested in looking at this data, then you may need the following information for the local area:

• ICB (integrated care board): Buckinghamshire, Oxford and Berkshire East

Understanding a specific practice’s friends and family test results
Under linked practice websites you will find a page “Patient survey ratings” which may include from time to time any information on the practice’s friends and family test results. The “Patient survey ratings” page can be found in the “Oversight and Practice Polices” section in the main menu.

Understanding a specific NHS organisation’s (other than a GP Practices) friends and family test results
NHS choices explain how you can access friends and family test results for other organisations Friends and Family Test (FFT) – NHS

The NHS explain how you can be support to complete a friends and family test for other organisations Friends and Family Test (FFT) – NHS